Archery
and the Art of
Reducing Karma through Yoga
by Swami
Jnaneshvara BharatiHomepage

The
law of karma,
A universal principle:
As you sow, so shall you reap.

Reducing karma through
archery: The ancient sages of Yoga and Vedanta
use the metaphor of Archery as a teaching tool for how to work with and
reduce karma through the process of Yoga meditation. In Yoga Meditation,
Karma is of three kinds: Sanchita, Kriyamana, and Prarabhda, using the
metaphor of three kinds of arrows in archery. Karma Yoga is the Yoga
that emphasizes doing Yoga while also doing actions in the world, or
Meditation in action.

This is a very practical tool: The metaphor of the arrows is a practical
tool for daily life. The mind easily recalls the visual imagery,
which serves as a reminder to do a good job of "shooting the
arrows" of actions and speech.

Decisions: The quality of our
decisions leads to the quality of our actions, which means the level of
our archery ability.

Consequences: The aim of the arrows
also determines the quality of the consequences that come back from those actions.

Deep impressions: Those consequences come to rest
in the bed of our subconscious as deep impressions (Samskaras) which
determine our Karma.

Recycling: These Samskaras will at some point lead to further thoughts, speech, and actions,
that again lead to more consequences.

Learn to have a good aim: Remembering to act as a skilled Archer is
very useful for making decisions that will later have positive consequences on our
mental, emotional, and spiritual lives. The key is becoming "a
good shot" with the arrows in our hand, while accepting that some of
our previously shot arrows are causing painful, unavoidable consequences
that need to be dealt with wisely.

Karma means actions: "Karma" literally translates as "Actions," and is the
playing out of the actions resulting from the latent habit patterns, or
Samskaras, that are stored in the depth of the mind.

Stages of karma: There are three stages through
which karma flows:

Impressions from past consequences:
First, there are the deep impressions
which come as a result of the storing of consequences from previous
actions, and the natural feedback from the senses receiving input. (arrows
in the quiver)

These impressions come forward:
Second, these deep impressions come to
the forefront of one's life at some point in time in the future,
whether or not it comes with conscious awareness. (arrows in
hand)

Actions and speech spring forth:
Third, there are then actions and speech that spring forth,
with or without the wisdom of conscious choice. (arrows in
flight)

Accumulated impressions: The karmas in the quiver are the
accumulated deep impressions (Samskaras) that have been collected over our
entire history. Some arrows have been added to the quiver (new Karmas) and
others have already been shot (old Karmas), and are no longer in the
quiver.

The formula of karma: The total of the arrows (Samskaras) in
our quiver today is the net of the new arrows added, minus the old ones
that have been shot. These arrows and deep driving habits in the
quiver are called "Sanchita Karma."

Current karma
=
Old samskaras
+ New samskaras added
- Old samskaras that have played out

It takes time: Because of the
process of playing out old Samskaras while new, more useful ones are
added, it takes time for one's balance of karma to improve. In other
words, it doesn't happen overnight (recognizing that God, grace, or guru
might help).

Predispositions are awaiting
opportunity: Along with the playing out of our current
Karmas in flight, we also know that there are many predispositions, habit
patterns, or Samskaras that there awaiting an opportunity to come into
action. Though we may not know exactly what these are, by observing our actions
we can infer some of these predispositions.

Examining and attenuating karma: By a good job of
preparation, balancing life, and learning to be a good Archer, one can
eventually examine the Samskaras in the quiver during Yoga Meditation and Yoga
Nidra (Yogic sleep). In this way, deeper habit patterns can be
attenuated or eliminated through Meditation, provided one has become
trained as a good Archer.

Colored and uncolored impressions:
Yoga science speaks of colored (klishta)
and uncolored (aklishta) thought patterns. When these deeply colored
thought patterns are regulated, and their coloring has been reduced
through good archery skills, then one
may move on to experience Self-Realization.

Arrow already shot: The arrows in flight are the Karmas that
have already started to play themselves out, either in our inner world or in the external
world. These are the arrows that have already been shot. The arrows and our actions still in
flight are called "Prarabhda Karma."

They have to run their course: An arrow in flight cannot be called back.
It must complete its journey. Thoughts, speech, and actions that have been
set in motion cannot be called back. They too will run their course,
bringing consequences or fruits. (Some say that this Karma can be altered
by grace.)

New decisions can help: New decisions can be made that
balance out the effects of previously shot arrows. This is a good thing
to do, as it improves the overall mixture of arrows in flight. However,
the original arrows still move towards their fruition.

Learning to accept our consequences:
The lesson for the seeker of
Self-Realization is to accept that there are physical, mental, emotional,
social, cultural, familial, financial, or material consequences of all of
our previous actions (shot arrows). These simply need to be accepted as realities
from which we now move forward in our spiritual quest.

The here and now: The arrows in flight need to be
dealt with from the stance of the here-and-now, in the context of how we
shoot today's arrows.

The arrows in hand are the most
important: The arrows that are in our hands today
are the ones that we currently have a choice about where to aim and how to
shoot. The arrows and choices in our hands today
are called "Kriyamana Karma" (also called "Agami
Karma" or "Vartamana Karma").

Becoming more aware: To be aware of the
nature of wants, wishes, desires, attractions or aversions is very important.
By being aware of our motivations, we can consciously shoot the arrows by
choice, rather than unconscious habit.

Making good decisions: Through cultivating awareness and
practicing conscious arrow shooting, we become better at aiming our arrows
as well. We make good decisions about our thoughts, emotions,
actions, and speech, rather than having these happen solely out of
conditioned response.

Formula for archery: So, the formula, starting with Awareness,
is:

Awareness of motivations: Awareness of motivations allows
us to learn to shoot arrows out of choice, rather than habit.

Primitive urges are the background
motivation: Behind our actions are many thoughts, emotions,
desires, samskaras, and primitive urges. By being aware of the process
leading to actions, we can make wise choices about
those actions.
(See "Karma and the Sources of Actions, Speech,
and Thoughts")

Arrows in daily life: One may have
either a few arrows, or many arrows in the quiver (little
Karma or a lot
of Karma), but what is important is how we deal with the Karma presenting
to us in our lives today. This is the art of Archery and reducing
Karma. The law of Karma is universal; as you
sow, so shall you reap. The words and cultural contexts may differ, but
the principle remains the same. Learning to be a Master Archer is the key
to mastery over the bondage of Karma.

Deciding what is the target: Where to aim our arrows is a critically
important question. If we don't know what the target is, then it is rather
difficult to aim well. Our arrows are shot almost at random, at every
want, wish, desire, attraction, or aversion that pops up into the
mind.

Understanding the purpose of life:
Deciding what is the target means to
understand the purpose of life. If the Archer has a sense of the purpose
of life, using whatever words best describe that personally, then there is
a target that all of the arrows can be directed towards. It means that
one's decisions are increasingly made in accordance with what brings one
closer to the chosen target.

What actions will serve
Self-realization?: For one who chooses Self-Realization as
the target, then decisions are made on the basis of what brings one
closer, or leads one further away from that Goal.

Is it useful or not useful?: This is the most important aspect of the
Archery metaphor. It means asking our deep Wisdom, "Is this
useful or not useful?" about specific options in front of us.
"Does this bring me closer or further away from the goal of
Enlightenment?" "Should I do it, or not?" By consulting
within in this way, answers will come.

Consulting Buddhi: In the Four Functions of
Mind, the part
that knows, decides, judges, and discriminates is called Buddhi. It is
through the cultivation of Buddhi that one becomes a better Archer,
training Manas (the lower mind) to follow the wise instructions of Buddhi,
rather than just following the old habit patterns in Chitta (the
storehouse of Samskaras, or deep impressions and habits).

Determining actions by choice: It is a matter of actions being
determined by the choice of Buddhi
rather than by the unconscious impressions arising from the quiver. It
works something like this:

Once the target, or purpose is
known,

When Buddhi can make choices,

And when Manas will listen,

Then the arrows of action are shot in more
accurate ways,

And there are fewer negative consequences,

As well as a greater number of useful consequences.

These useful impressions are stored in
the quiver.

In turn, these arise to motivate
further useful actions,

And we experience an overall reduction
in our Karma.

The aim improves by consulting Buddhi:
Through this repeated cycle of utilizing
Buddhi to determine the aim of the arrows of action, one becomes a better
and better Archer. As we become a better Archer, the process of
reducing Karma works better and better.

What to do with the fruits of actions: An important key to shooting our arrows well
has to do with the question of who is to receive the fruits of the actions. There
are three general choices of where to give the fruits of actions:

The fruits come to me.

The fruits are given to
others.

The fruits are offered to God.

The question of what to do with the
fruits of actions is an important part
of Karma Yoga, the Yoga of Action, which prepares one to do the deeper practices
leading to Self-Realization.

Selfless service: Consequences of actions breed more
actions, and in turn, more consequences. This cycle happens because of one's attachment or aversions to the fruits of the actions.
However, the more one practices selfless service, giving away the fruits
of the actions to others, then the less those fruits turn into negative
consequences that feed the cycle.

For example, if one is attached to the
financial fruits of his or her job, then those financial fruits might be
used to seek pleasure in the external world. When those external pleasures
end up being inadequate, one might end up seeking even more fruits in an
attempt to feel satisfied.

Other fruits might be, for example, the accolades,
recognition, or the internal feelings of accomplishment coming from actions.
These too can leave one in a painful cycle of seeking greater and greater
fruits in an effort to feel whole and fulfilled.

A shift in attitude about fruits: However, if the same person has a shift
in attitude, whereby the fruits of their labors are for others, such as family, friends,
customers, clients, society, or humanity then one is free of the fruits. In other words, one
learns to give away the fruits of the actions. Then the
inner motive is to serve those other people, not merely to feed one's own sense of personal needs.

The paycheck, accolades or recognition will
still come and be enjoyed, but it is without expectation that these fruits themselves are
capable of bringing happiness. When the fruits are given up, then one is free. The feelings of wholeness and fulfillment
can then come from
within, regardless of the outcomes of the actions.

Refinement leads to freedom: It is an ongoing feedback loop of shooting
arrow, refining one's aim, and shooting again that leads to being a good
Archer, and to freedom from the bondage of Karma.

Reducing the In-flight arrows: When we start improving our aim, and thus
creating fewer attachments and aversions, we also have to deal with the
arrows that are already in flight. Some of these in-flight arrows are
painful, some are pleasurable. Whether bringing pain or pleasure, the
consequences of these previously-shot arrows continues to come, until those
arrows find their final destination and completion.

A simple process: There is a simple process to reducing the
in-flight arrows:

We allow the arrows to fall where they are headed,
accepting that some of them were poorly aimed. Past decisions are bringing
current consequences. We accept these consequences and their
responsibilities, as we stay focused on the arrows in hand. We allow the
old arrows to run their course in such a way that we don't add more
negative consequences to come.

Not becoming diverted by the in-flight
arrows: Because of these stray arrows,
one may easily become diverted from the path of Self-realization. Those old arrows, shot long ago, continue to come and cause
problems. Often what happens is that due to these old arrows, still in
flight, we end up firing more arrows along the same off-course path.
We can end up having just as many arrows in the air that are off-course,
rather than seeing the number go down.

Being kind to ourselves: The solution is to be very kind with
ourselves, as we cultivate persistence and patience. We may want
spiritual energy, grace, or shakti to come to us, yet one of the first
forms of that comes as determination. To have, cultivate, or pray for such
determination is an essential practice on the journey to
Self-Realization.

Becoming a good Archer in making useful decisions,
developing determination, and practicing patience, form a powerful
combination.

Then, the number and intensity of off-course arrows
of Karma gradually goes down, as the number that are on-target increases.

Gradually our
karmic focus shifts, as we move more and more towards a greater integration of mind, and reduction of
samskaras

Then our meditations and
contemplations can progress more smoothly and quickly on the Journey
Within.

The past impressions: The entire collection of the deep
impressions (samskaras) that forms our past karma is the Prarabhda
karma.
Mostly, it sits in latent form until such time as some of it is ready to
come to life, first in the mind-field, and then in the external world
through actions and speech.

They start a cycling process: As these impressions turn into action,
their consequences often come back through the senses, get processed by
the mind and make still more impressions in the deep unconscious. The
cycle of impression-action-consequence-impression goes on and on.

Be more mindful of choices and
actions: However, by being more mindful of the nature of our
choices and actions, we can allow our karmas to play themselves out, while
not replacing them with new binding consequences being added to the
quiver. Then we can
have a reduction in the total Karmas stored in those Samskaras.

Examining and attenuating the latent
arrows: The combination of having fewer arrows in
the quiver and fewer negative arrows in flight leads the aspirant to do an even better job of examining and attenuating those
remaining Samskaras during Yoga Meditation.

It can seem to be getting worse: Paradoxically, the Karmic
arrows in the quiver might come to the surface in big clusters. It can
seem that problems in life are getting worse! The life,
consequences and actions coming forth might appear to be very
unspiritual. This is the reason that there are stories of saints doing
outrageous behaviors, as some of the few remaining Karmas manifest.

Self-Realization does not require
removing all the arrows: The experience of the Self does not
depend on
having 100% of the Samskaras removed, such that there is no more Karma. Self-Realization
does not stop the flow of the Karmas playing out, nor
necessarily remove the latent Karmas in the storehouse. Though some of the seeds of karma may
become so weakened or "burned" in the fire of Consciousness that
they can no longer bear fruit, others remain.

The potter's wheel continues to turn:
The sages use
the metaphor of the potter's wheel. After the pot is made, the potter's
wheel continues to turn because of its previous impetus. So too, the
Karmic impressions in the quiver continue to drive thoughts, actions, and
speech. However, the aspirant becomes better and better at directing those
forces when they arise. Even Patanjali (codifier of the Yoga Sutra) gives instructions of how to handle
breaks in enlightenment by continuing to purify the latent
impressions.

Efficiently working with karma: At this phase of Archery training, one
has become a Master Archer, and does an efficient job of working through
the remaining Karmas while remaining in the world, but above the
world.

Archery in Yoga Meditation: Having a good aim in
decisions and actions of daily life reduces Karma by having "the new" come into play, as
"the old" works itself out. The same process is also done during
Yoga Meditation.

Meditation in Action: In the external world, the Yogi allows
the old Karmas (the arrows in flight) to play themselves out. In the
internal world, the Yogi also allows the old Karmas to play themselves
out, as the inner drama is observed from the vantage point of a
Witness. For this reason,
both "Meditation" and "Meditation in Action" are
a part of Archery and the Art of Reducing Karma.

Seated meditation: In seated Meditation one allows the
thought patterns come forward, learns to be undisturbed, unaffected, and
uninvolved in them. They come, and they go. In this way, the intensity of
the coloring of the deep impressions gradually attenuates. This is a
process whereby the colored Samskaras (klishta) gradually have their coloring
dissipated, as the thought patterns move towards being completely uncolored
(aklishta).

Meditation and
Meditation in Action: When the Samskaras weaken through Yoga Meditation, they can be more easily played out in daily life. When the
Samskaras weaken through the actions of daily life, then they can more
easily be played out in Meditation. The two practices of Meditation and
Meditation in Action go hand in hand.

Good Archery removes the veil over the
Self: Being a good Archer does not in itself
bring Self-Realization. Rather, it is a means of reducing and removing
obstacles. Learning the art of Archery reduces Karma so that one can rest
in the stillness and silence.

Then, through the practices of
Meditation, Contemplation, Prayer, and remembering Word or Mantra, the
Self that has been there all along can be Realized.

This site is devoted to
presenting the ancient Self-Realization path of
the Tradition of the Himalayan masters
in simple, understandable and beneficial ways, while not compromising
quality or depth. The goal of our sadhana or practices is the highest
Joy that comes from the Realization in direct experience of the
center of consciousness, the Self, the Atman or Purusha, which is
one and the same with the Absolute Reality.
This Self-Realization comes through Yoga meditation of the Yoga
Sutras, the contemplative insight of Advaita Vedanta, and the
intense devotion of Samaya Sri Vidya Tantra, the three of which
complement one another like fingers on a hand.
We employ the classical approaches of Raja, Jnana, Karma, and Bhakti
Yoga, as well as Hatha, Kriya, Kundalini, Laya, Mantra, Nada, Siddha,
and Tantra Yoga. Meditation, contemplation, mantra and prayer
finally converge into a unified force directed towards the final
stage, piercing the pearl of wisdom called bindu, leading to the
Absolute.